One Nation Under Jimmy Page

Just out of curiosity, whom does everyone support? (And why?)

I almost think it would be better to post replies in the form of new entries on this one...

Okay. So, a few days ago, I posted a public entry on my journal detailing why I support Obama in this election. I also posted this in note form on facebook. An interesting debate regarding universal healthcare and socialism ensued. I'm just going to copy-paste the main points, then I'm curious about everyone's personal thoughts on this matter.

Excerpt of original post: "[Obama's program] guarantees universal healthcare for minors, but his initial plan does not cover adults. Complete universal healthcare is a vital goal that we need to aspire to, so what makes Obama's plan a good one? It's a pragmatic solution that works toward that ideal of universal healthcare for all, with significant efforts to subsidize and provide universal access to the entire population."

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I'll leave my own reply to that off for now. Basically, I'm just curious what everyone makes of this and what your own opinion is regarding the healthcare issue.

Point A. For years, the Christian Right has protested Philip Pullman's series His Dark Materials, citing that his use of religious symbolism, devices, and the explicit mention of God and his death in the third book force the book into the realm of the strictly anti-Christian. Thus, the books must be censored or altogether banned, for fear of the effect they will have on their young, impressionable audience. Now, the first book of the trilogy has been made into a film, and a large number of people have declared that they won't be seeing it, because "The movie is a watered down version of the first book and is designed to be very attractive in the hope unsuspecting parents will take their children to see the the movie and that the children will want the books for Christmas." ( source )

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Point C, or My $.02. These "boycotts" are incredibly close-minded and ridiculous. And what really irks me is the underlying issue here -- this need people have to shelter children from different ideas. First of all, the atheist themes will probably go right over kids' heads, and they'll enjoy it as a fantasy movie. I know when I first read The Golden Compass, I was about eight and the heavier adult themes went straight over my head, and I was a pretty smart kid. (Though from what I've heard, they are less obvious in the first book than in the other two.)

Secondly, simply being exposed to general atheist themes is not going to turn someone into an atheist, in the same way that learning about Christianity won't make someone Christian, learning about Judaism won't make someone Jewish, etc etc etc. Usually, people are able to discern for themselves whether or not they agree with an idea, and will act accordingly.

So, as usual, post your thoughts.

What is the purpose of law?

a. Is Portillo's fast food?
b. Define fast food and give examples.

My opinion:
fast food /n/ inexpensive, low-quality food obtained in a quick manner. (i.e., McDonald's, Burger King, etc. Subway counts, as well.) Low-quality doesn't mean bad, per se. But Portillo's isn't exactly cheap. It has ribs. (Ribs are synonymous with quality, duh.) So it's not fast food.

Also - Panera? Not fast food. No matter what Ms. Etheredge says. It's a cafe. As are Corner Bakery and Noodles and Co. (But by Ms. Etheredge's definition, I suppose I work in a fast-food establishment.)

Full article.

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This sparks all sorts of debates:
a. Do women, indeed, lack a set sexual orientation?
b. If no to "a" - that implies all women are innately some degree of bisexual. So where does this leave men?

And the big one:
c. Is researching biological causes of homosexuality necessarily a good thing? Related issues:
- The possibility of classifying it as a genetic disorder, in league with Down Syndrome and sickle cell anemia, as stated above.
- Would the focus on biology undermine the gay rights movement, somehow? Should it focus more on "moral, ethical, legal, and constitutional" issues?

If you think of any other points to comment on, have at it. Hopefully lots of you will have something to say.

Does God leave us when we sin?

I've recently come to a conclusion. I've come to believe that every social interaction between humans is governed by their respective insecurities.

Just think about it - next time you sit at dinner or something, just think about what people say and how they get or want attention. This is especially evident with two people who like (or 'have crushes on') each other. And if you critically analyze the things that you do instinctively - those which you "just do" without thinking - you will see how your instincts are governed by insecurities.

This is my opinion, but I think it's quite intriguing.

So that article from the NY Times is now on "TimesSelect" so one of us would have to go down to the library and make copies if we do end up doing this topic.

Gor. Websites and their money-needing.